William lee ciiipley



(No Model.)

W. L. OHIPLEY. BELT TIGHTENER.

No. 590,208. Patented Sept. 21,1897.

WWI- f NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LEE CI-IIPLEY, OF LA MONTE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOE E. MAUPIN, OF SAME P Ao BELT-TIGHTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent N 0. 590,208, dated September 21, 1897. Application filed October 24, 1896. Serial No. 609,929. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM LEE CHIPLEY, residing at La Monte, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Belt-Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to a belttightener, and more particularly to one adapted for taking up the slack in a belt or crimping the said beltpreparatory to relacing the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and simple device which can be quickly and easily placed upon the slack belt, quickly and easily operated to, draw up the slack, and one that can be fastened in such position while relacing the belt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described in which the drawing mechanism can be removed after the slack has been taken up, so that the operator will have ample room for lacing the belt.

With these objects in View my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claim. In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view showing the practical application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of the device. Fig. 4 is a view showing the various parts of the device detached.

In carrying out my invention I employ the side rods or bars A, said rods or bars being enlarged at their lower ends and slotted, as shown at A.

At one of their ends the side rods or bars are attached to the ends of the clamp-plate B, said clamp-plate B coacting with a similar plate B, carrying the screw-bolts 13 which pass through the openings B in the plates B and receive the hand-nuts B by means of which the clamp is fastened upon the belt 0.

Similar clamp-plates D and D are fastened upon the belt, the clamp-plates D having the laterally-projecting screw-bolts E, which work in the slots A and receive the handnuts F upon their outer ends, as most clearly shown in. Figs. 1 and 3, and by means of which this clamp can be rigidly fastened between the side bars.

Link-rods G are attached to the clampplate B, said link-rods in turn being pivotally connected to a bar H, having a series of apertures H, said bar H being preferably made double, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4:, although such construction is not at all necessary, and pivotally connected with the bar II is a lever I, pivotally connected by means of a pin K, the end of the lever I being pivotally connected with a pull-rod L, which is connected at its lower end with the link-rods M, which in turn connect with the clampplate D in the same manner as the link-rods G connect with the clamp-plates D.

When the lever is thrown down, the clamps are thrown toward each other, and consequently the slack of the belt is taken up between the two clamps and the operator can then manipulate the belt in the proper manner to take up the slack.

In operation the clamps are fastened to the belt, the nuts F slackened, and it will of course be understood that the lever I is raised, as shown in Fig. 3, when the clamps are attaohed. This lever I is then thrown down to the position shown in Fig. 1, and by so doing the clamps are drawn toward each other and the slack taken up. The nuts F are then tightened securely, locking the clamp D in place between the said bars or rods, and in case sufficient slack has not been taken up the lever is again thrown up and the pin K removed and placed in the next perforation higher of the bar II. The nuts F are again slackened, the lever I thrown down, and the clamps B and D again drawn toward each other. The nuts F are then-again tightened, the pin K removed, andthe lever and the bolt-rod turnedto one side in order to give the operator ample room to work upon the belt.

This device, constructed as herein shown and described, can be manufactured at a very small cost, can be quickly applied and operated, and is thoroughly efficient in the performance of all its functions.

Having thus described my invention, what rods to hold the clamp at any position in the I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters slots, and means for drawing the clamps to- [0 Patent, is Ward each other, substantially as set forth.

In a belt-tightener, the combination of a .v 5 pair of parallel side rods slotted at one end, WILLIAM LEE CHIPLEY a clamp secured to one end of said rods, a WVitnesses: second clamp having screw-threaded ends J. L. LAUTZ, projecting through said slots, nuts on said MERRIT NELSON. 

